


He's Gone

by M_E_Lover



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Not Canon Compliant, Sadness, Self-Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 12:20:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11058849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_E_Lover/pseuds/M_E_Lover
Summary: Harold sacrifices himself to save the team and humanity. Implied major character death though there is virtually no violence described. If you want a good cry this may be the story for you.Comments would be greatly appreciated.





	He's Gone

**Author's Note:**

> Another Sad Story - Nothing Graphic - Implied Major Character Death - Major Emotional Turmoil  
> Thanks as always to oddgit for proofing!

He’s gone.

Root’s words to John were unbelievable and earth shattering. 

How could it be true? There was nothing. No physical evidence, no blood, no remains. There was nothing but empty space. And that’s exactly how John felt… empty.

Harold had instructed them not to try to follow him. He said that he would take care of Samaritan by himself. He also said that he wouldn’t be coming back. He said that for what he had to do and how he had to do it, he would have to die in the process. He didn’t give anyone the opportunity to help him. 

Harold accepted Greer’s offer to leave his team in peace and in turn he would be the only one that had to be lost when he gave himself over to Samaritan. In his mind there was no other choice. The machine and the rest of them were fighting a losing battle. If he could ensure his friends lives…it was all he required to give his own in return.

If nothing else John Greer was a man of his word and Harold trusted that his team would no longer be hunted by Samaritan operatives by their agreement. 

The decision was clear and acted upon before John and the rest of them even knew that it had happened. 

Root was the first one in that morning; she was the one to find the note Harold had left and the first one to find out that Harold had sacrificed himself in order to save them and the rest of humanity. 

John and Shaw had gotten to the subway platform at the same time and descended the stairs together. John had Lionel on the comm and was telling him to fill in for him until he got to the precinct. Their line remained open as he and Shaw started across the platform approaching Root and saw immediately how troubled she was. 

“What’s going on?” Shaw asked anxiously as they hurried over to her. “Where’s Harold?”

Root sat in Harold’s chair feeling dazed as they prodded her for information.

She held out the note to John. “He’s gone,” she replied numbly. 

John took the note from Root’s trembling fingers and read every letter of it, branding it into his memory. Harold’s last hand written letter was as elegant and precise as every line of code he had ever written.

Shaw was the one who knew best what would have happened to Harold psychologically as Greer would have tried to dissect every shred of information he had about the machine from Harold’s brain. She knew intimately how they would go about trying to pull every molecule of knowledge from Harold’s vast intellect.

They all knew that Harold would never have told Greer anything about the machine. They all knew he would save them and the rest of the world as he took Greer and his machine down with him. 

Lionel’s voice came through John’s earpiece and John automatically opened the line for everyone else to hear.

“John what the hell’s happening?” He asked full of concern.

Just then Harold’s main monitor powered up and a video recording made just a few short hours earlier started to play.

They watched intently as the screen showed Harold sitting back in his chair and began the last communication he would ever have with his team.

He smiled sadly and began, “First and foremost, I just wanted you all to know how proud and honored that I am to have had you in my life.”

Everyone in the room went into shock as they watched on the screen; their leader and their friend giving his last speech to them openly with complete love and sincerity clearly represented in every word he spoke.

“When I first started this whole thing on my own…” He chuckled, “Well you all know how badly that worked out so I don’t have to remind you I’m sure so let me start over…” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He began again. “Sameen, I want you to know how special you are. Not just to me but to everyone that has had the unique opportunity to be allowed into your inner circle. I haven’t told you enough how happy it makes me to see you back and flourishing as you have these last few months. I have known very few people in my life that I can truly allow in… and you are one that I hold in complete and total regard. Please don’t ever forget how important you are to all of us.”

Shaw felt tears come to her eyes as Harold continued.

“Miss Groves… Root.” He started again grinning. “Well what can I say?” He chuckled. “You are something else... Who on earth can say that they’ve come to love and admire someone who has deceived, drugged, bound and kidnapped them…?” He smiled playfully, “twice! And then come to forget all of that and consider that person to be among the best friends they’ve ever had in their lives?” 

Harold turned serious for a moment. “Root… you are by far the most brilliant woman I have ever met. Please take care of Miss Shaw; the two of you have something very special and I know that you can see it, please use your powers of persuasion to make her see it too.”

Root had tears running down her face as she reached for Shaw’s hand and clasped it firmly.

“Lionel…” Harold grinned. “I need to apologize to you for wasting a single moment in the beginning of our mission in not trusting you, please forgive me for that.” They could all hear Fusco sniffing through open com link. “I also apologize for letting it go so long filling you in on the particulars of our purpose; you deserved to know as much as anyone else how we did things and I regret not pushing the matter sooner. You’re a good detective and a wonderful man and father, your son should be proud of you as I am but most of all… you are a great friend. Never forget that detective.” 

Everyone in the room was now quietly weeping as they watched and listened to the heroic man on the screen shower them all with praise and admiration. They heard Lionel sobbing as well.

Harold paused for a long moment then began. “Mister Reese…” He took a deep breath. “John… my friend, my partner, my hero.” Harold’s eyes began to glisten as he went on. “I could never imagine anyone coming close to what you have given me over these last few years of my life. There are no words sufficient enough to express my gratitude for all you’ve done. For every moment of my life with you I’m humbled that you have allowed me to use you as a weapon and a shield for my cause.”

John felt his knees going weak and Shaw pulled a chair over just in time to prevent him from hitting the floor.

Harold had paused again to pull a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes before he continued.

“Thank you John, for forgiving me for everything in the past. And for agreeing to help me with the numbers without too much of a fuss.” Harold grinned, “Although if I remember correctly you did give me some grief in the very beginning.” 

Harold laughed fondly remembering all of the times John had tried to tail him in the early years and the team found themselves smiling as well as Harold went on.

“I must tell you John… I got a great deal of satisfaction in seeing your reactions to my being able to elude you. It put a smile on my face every time you or Lionel had to throw your hands in the air after losing me.” He paused before going on, taking another breath, “Thank you for Bear John… , he’s been a loyal and much loved and appreciated comrade and has taken very good care of me… please let him take care of you now.”

Harold shifted in his chair and the team all waited in great sadness for what they knew were Harold’s final words to them.

“I know that you all will be angry with me for this choice that I’ve made on my own but please don’t stay angry for too long… you all have work to continue and there was nothing any of you could have said or done to have changed my mind. Just please understand that I thought very hard and long about the decision that I made and there really wasn’t anything else to do. This was the only way to stop Greer and his minions while taking out the ultimate threat to humanity at the same time. So you see it was a win… win scenario.”

Harold leaned forward in his chair and touched the monitor, laying his hand flat against the screen. He closed his eyes.

“I love you all…” He opened them and looked into the camera, “Thank you.”

The monitor suddenly went dark leaving the image of Harold’s loving face imprinted in all of their memories.

Bear trotted over to the group as he finally sensed the emotions in the room. He laid his head on John’s knee. John stroked his head absently.

Root wept openly while Shaw held her close.

John sat silently while tears streamed from his eyes. They could hear Lionel sobbing as well.

Long minutes went by with no one speaking, as they all remembered their own pasts with their benevolent and gracious leader.

It was over… he was gone. 

As if the machine sensed the need to bring things back to the present… the phone rang.


End file.
